By Yvonne Njeri
Alcohol is the second most used psychoactive drug, apart from caffeine, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Alcohol is one drink that has been most loved for centuries and is associated with pleasure and enjoyment by most people, especially the young generation. Many people ironically consider alcohol not to be a drug, however, alcohol is a drug just like cocaine and bhang among many others as classified by the WHO.
Alcohol is referred to as a psychotropic central nervous system depressant by WHO. This means that it has an impact on the cognition and emotions of a person as well as perception. Alcohol is a drug that slows down the messages between your brain and your body. It is the ingredient in alcoholic drinks that makes you drunk. The alcohol in drinks is called ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is made when yeast ferments the sugars in grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Alcohol has raised major concerns in the public health sector in most countries, especially Kenya. In a recent NACADA report on drug abuse in universities, younger people are the most affected by alcoholism, while WHO has stated that alcohol mortality is higher in men as compared to women globally. NACADA pointed out alarming statistics on alcohol abuse, with 84% of university students abusing the drug.
With many students falling in love with alcohol, it is deemed detrimental to a person's health while it has been observed that the level of risk depends on several factors such as age, sex, amount consumed, and health status of the individuals, among others.
For instance, in 2010, the Biological Psychiatry journal found that when men consume an alcoholic beverage, their brains produce higher amounts of dopamine (the chemical neurotransmitter responsible for regulating feelings of pleasure, reward, and anticipation) than women. This is one of “several biological mechanisms” that differentiate the different vulnerabilities of men and women when it comes to alcohol abuse.
Males still consume more alcohol and experience and cause more alcohol-related injuries and deaths than females do, but the gaps are narrowing. Recent studies also suggest that females are more susceptible than males to alcohol-induced liver inflammation, cardiovascular disease, memory blackouts, hangovers, and certain cancers.
In 2023, the WHO declared that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption and that the risk to the drinker's health starts from the very drop of any alcoholic beverage. Alcohol has been observed to interfere with the brain's communication pathways and affects the brain functions, especially areas such as the cerebellum, which helps in maintaining posture and balance and also affects the coordination of speech, the memory and judgement of the person, which may lead to negative consequences.
Prolonged consumption of alcohol may lead to alcohol addiction, which has affected most of its drinkers. Alcohol dependence results in the inability to control drinking and is termed a chronic disease. It is advised to take less amount of alcohol as possible to avoid possible accidents and health problems.
While many disregard the warnings, alcohol has destroyed many people's lives due to addiction, causing many deaths and conditions such as steatosis liver, which is the buildup of fat inside the liver cells, which leads to an enlarged liver induced by excessive consumption of alcohol.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), consuming alcohol while pregnant increases the risk of having a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), the most serious of which is fetal alcohol syndrome.
Pregnant women are advised to refrain from consuming alcohol before the child is born. Alcohol consumption while pregnant has been associated with childbirth complications such as miscarriages, stillbirths and premature delivery as well as low birthweight. Health professionals say that the alcohol levels can remain high in a fetus's body as it breaks alcohol more slowly than adults and can harm the developing brain.
Alcohol has long-term effects as well as short-term effects, and it weakens the immune system of a person over time. Alcohol misuse should be avoided at all costs to avoid the negative effects it brings over the short-lived pleasure which most people seek in alcohol when mostly they are suffering from psychological problems.
In Kenya, alcohol has significantly affected the lives of many, causing addiction and other health complications which we see in our daily lives. It has become particularly one of the major concerns in the country as it has affected the works of many and destroying the future of talented and skilled people leading to loss of manpower at work.
People have been advised that if one is suffering from depression or stress, one should look for someone trustworthy or health professionals to help them instead of indulging in alcohol use, which only causes more negative effects. Using alcohol to escape from problems is not a permanent solution.
‘I felt depressed and had no one to talk to, so Alcohol became my best friend’ is a tale used by many alcohol users. Alcohol has seen the end of many lives while others become unable to continue with life healthily and normally. Many families have grieved the loss of relatives to this drug, and many parents have struggled to get their children and husbands back to their normal states before indulging in this drug.
Rehabilitation services in Kenya are very expensive, and this should warn many people to stay away from the drug. What addiction promises you, you can get in sobriety if you choose healthy ways to deal with your problems. Let's all live healthily as much as possible, as health matters the most in a person's life.
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